Basket for automatic washing machine



United States Patent Oice 3,274,808 Patented Sept. 27, 1966 3,274,808 BASKET FOR AUTMATIC WASHING MACHINE Everett D. Morey, Louisville, Ky., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Filed Sept. 28, 1964, Ser. No. 399,524 3 Claims. `(Cl. 68-23) This invention relates to automatic fabric washing machines, and more particularly Ito yan improved fabric receiving basket for use in such machines. l

Modern automatic washing machines give vastly improved washing performance over prior mechanism for cleaning fabrics such as clothes; however, they have a tendency to redeposit on the fabrics or clothes a portion of the dirt or soil of various types that has been removed. This redeposition prevents the machines from `providing an optimum washing performance. vOne cause of this redeposition is the drawing of the dirty wash liquid through the clothes during the centrifugal extraction operation which follows the washing operation.

Some machines have tried to solve this problem by utilizing a basket overflow type of operation. In such operations all the liquid is removed from the basket by causing it to flow upwardly and out of the basket over the top Vof the basket outer wall. Such a mode of operation does not draw the liquid through the clothes during the centrifugal extraction operation; however, it is not entirely satisfactory because heavy dirt particles removed from the clothes during washing tend to accumulate in the lower part of the basket and an overflow type of operation will not effectively remove them from the basket, therefore they are redeposited on the fabrics.

It is an object of my invention to provide an improved washing machine which prevents redeposition of dirt and other foreign matter on the fabrics being washed.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a washing machine in which the heavy dirt particles are removed from the basket during the -washing operation and redistribution -on the fabrics of soil particles entrained in the wash liquid is prevented.

In one aspect of my invention, I provide a washing machine including an outer receptacle or imperforate tub to receive liquid and a perforate basket rotatably mounted within the tube to receive fabrics or clothes to be washed in the liquid. Agitating or flexing means for exing the clothes extend upwardly within the basket and drive means is provided for alternatively operating the flexing means and rotating the basket. Suitable means are provided both for introducing liquid to the receptacle and also for removing liquid therefrom at appropriate times, the latter means usually is in the form of a suitable drain pump system.

I also provide a recirculation pump system including a recirculation conduit means which is connected to the outer receptacle so that liquid may be passed from the outer receptacle or tub, through the recirculation pump system, and then back into the receptacle. The recirculation conduit includes a nozzle for discharging liquid above the receptacle in a non-vertical direction across an air gap into a lter and then back into the basket.

As an important feature of my invention, I construct the fabric receiving basket with a small number of evenly distributed openings in the lower wall thereof so that heavy dirt or soil particles removed from the fabrics are discharged from the basket yduring the washing operation. I also provide a plurality of openings in the fabric receiving basket above the normal liquid level in the basket and tub so that, during centrifugal extraction, the washing liquid will be forced to 4llow upwardly and outwardly. Therefore, the liquid will not be drawn through the fabrics and thus, dirt and soil entrained inthe liquid, will not be redeposited on the fabrics.

IThe subject matter which I regard as my invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding porti-on of this specification. The invention itself, however, both as to organization and method of operation, together with further advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawmg.

The ligure of the drawing is a side elevational view of a clothes` washing machine which includes my improved structure, the view being partly broken away and partially in section to illustrate details.

Referring now -to the rligure, I have shown therein an agitator-type washing machine l1 having a basket or clothes receiving receptacle '2. Basket 2 is provided with an annular llower wall 3 and la generally vertical side wall 4. Lower wall 3 is provided with a number of openings 5 equally spaced around its lowermost portion. Side wall 4 is provided with a large number of openings 6 disposed near, preferably at or above, the normal liquid level in basket 2 and a small number of openings 7 adjacent the lower portion thereof. Gasket 2 is disposed within an outer imperforate tub or casing 8 which serves as a liquid receptacle. With this combination, the basket 2 'and tub 8 form together receptacle means fo'r containing liquid and the fabrics or clothes -to be washed in the liquid. The basket 2 may be provided with a suitable clothes retaining member 9 for preventing clothes from ibeing floated over the top of the basket, and with a balance ring |10 to help steady the Ibasket when it is rotated at high speed,

Tub 8 is rigidly mounted within an appearance cabinet 111 which includes a cover 12 hingedly mounted in the top portion 13 of the cabinet yfor providing access through an opening 14 to the basket 2. As shown, a gasket 15 may be provided so as to form a seal between the top of tub 8 and the portion 13 of the cabinet thereby to prevent escape of moisture and moist air into the cabinet around the tub. Rigid mounting of tub -8 within cabinet 511 may be effected by any suitable means. As a typical example -of one such means I have provided strap members 16, each of which is secured at one end to an inturned flange I17 of the cabinet and at its other end to the outside of tub 8. At the center of basket 2 there is positioned suitable means for flexing clothes which are placed in the basket 2 and also Ifor causing relative motion between the clothes and the liquid. In the present case this takes the form of a vertical axis agitator 18 which includes a center post |19 and a plurality of curved circulating vanes 20 joined at their lower ends by an outwardly flared skirt 21. The clothes basket 2 and agitator |18 are rotatably mounted. The basket is mounted on a flange 22 o-f a rotatable hub 23, and the agitator '18 is mounted on a shaft (not shown) which extends upwardly through the hub 23 and through the centerpost 19 and is secured to the agitator so as to drive it.

During a cycle of operation of machine 1, water is introduced into the tub 8 and basket 2, and the agita-tor is then oscillated back and forth on its axis, that is, in a horizontall plane within the basket; this initial s-tep is preferably a soak operation which may be provided with or without detergent to loosen dirt from the fabrics. Tihen, after a predetermined period of this action, basket 2 is rotated at high speed to extract centrifugally the liquid from the clothes and discharge it to drain. tFollowing this extraction operation, a fresh supply of liquid is introduced into the basket and the agitator is again oscillated. During this operation, which constitutes the wash step of the cycle, the liquid is preferably mixed with a suitable treating agent such as a detergent in order to etfect a chemical cleansing of the fabrics. Then the basket is rotated again at high speed to extract this washing liquid. Following this, a supply of clean liquid is introduced in-to the basket for rinsing the clothes and once again the agitator is oscillated. Finally, the basket is once more rotated at high speed to extract the rinse water. Of course, while i-t is often not done, more than one rinsing operation may be provided if so desired, and other irrelevant modifications such as, for instance, spray rinses during the spinning operation, may also be provided.

Basket 2 and agitator 118 may be driven through any sui-table means from a reversing motor. [By way of example, l have shown them as driven from motor 24 through a suitable load limiting clutch 25 mounted on the motor shaft. A belt 26 transmits power from clutch 25 to a transmission assembly 27 through a pulley 28. Thus, depending upon the direction of motor rotation, pulley 28 of transmission 27 is driven in opposite directions. The transmission 27 is so arranged that it supports and drives both the agitator drive shaft and the basket mounting hub 23. When motor 24 is rotated in one direction, the transmission causes agi-tator 18 to oscillate in a substantially horizontal plane within the basket 2. Conversely, when motor 24 is driven in the opposite direction the transmission rotates basket 2 and agitator 18 together at high speed for centrifugal extraction of liquid from the clothes.

In addition to operating the transmission 27 as described motor 24 also provides a direct drive through a liexible coupling 29 to a pump structure, generally indicated at I30, which may include -two separate pumping units 31 and 32, both of which are operated in the same direction simultaneously by motor 2'4. lPump 31 has an inlet which is connected by the conduit 3-3 to an opening 34 formed in the lowermost point of tub 8. Pump 31 also has an outlet which is connected by a conduit 35 to a suitable drain (not shown). Pump 312 has an inlet connected by a conduit 3-6 to the interior of tub 8 and an outlet connected by a conduit 37 to a nozzle 38. The pumps are so formed that, in the spin or centrifugal extraction direction of motor rotation, pump 31 will draw liquid in from opening 3'4 through conduit 33 and then discharge it through conduit 35 to drain, and in the other direction of rotation pump 32 will draw in liquid through conduit 36 and discharge it through conduit 37 and nozzle 3'8, each of the pumps being substantially inoperative in the direction of rotation in which it is not used. Additionally pump 31 transfers liquid at a substantially higher ra-te of ow than does pump 32. As one example of the pumping capacity relation between the two pumps, pump 31 may pump liquid at a rate of 16 gallons per minute while pump 32 may pump at a rate of iiow of only gallons per minute.

Nozzle 34 is positioned to discharge in a generally nonvertical direction across an air gap above basket 2 and into a filter pan 39 secured on the top portion 40 of agitator 18 so as to be movable therewith. With this structure, when the motor is rotating so as to provide agitation, pump 3-2 draws liquid through conduit 36 from tub 8 and discharges it through conduit 37 so that the liquid passes from nozzle 38 substantially horizontally through the air gap, and into lilter pan 39, and then down through a small number of openings 41 provided in the bottom of the lter pan and back into the basket 2. IIn this manner, the lter pan 319 with its small openings 41 and its upstanding side wall 42 causes lint which is separa-ted from the clothes during the Washing operation to be filtered out of the water, and thus prevents it from being redeposited on the clothes. This type of structure is more fully described and claimed in Patent 2,481,979 issued to Russell H. Colley on September 1-3, 1-949, and assigned to the General Electric Company, owner of the present invention.

The motor 20, clutch 21, transmission 23, basket 2 and agitator 14 form a suspended washing and centrifuging system which is supported by the stationary structure of the machine so as to permit isolation of vibrations from the stationary structure. llt will be understood that such vibrations occur primarily as a result of high speed spinning of basket 2 with a load of clothes therein as mentioned above. While any suitable suspension structure may be used, one such structure includes a bra-cket member 43 with transmission 27 mounted on the top thereof and motor 24 mounted to the underside thereof. The bracket member in turn is secured to upwardly extending rigid members 44, and each of the two upwardly extending members 44 is connected to a cable 45 supported from the top of the machine. While only a portion of the suspended system is shown, such a vibration oscillating system is fully described and claimed in Patent 2,987,190 issued on June 6, 1961 to John Bochan and assigned to the General Electric Company assignee of the present invention.

In order to accommodate any movement which occurs between basket 2 and tub 8 without any danger of leakage between them, the stationary tub 8 is joined to the upper part of transmission 27 by a exible boot member 46. Boot 46 may be of any suitable configuration, many of which are known in the art, to permit relative motion to the parts to which it is joined without leakage therebetween.

Completing now the description of the machine as illustrated, hot and cold water may be supplied to the machine through conduits -47 and 48 which are adapted to be connected respectively to sources of hot and cold water (not shown). Conduits 47 and 48 extend into a conventional mixing valve structure 49 having solenoids 50 and 51. Energization of solenoid 50 permits passage of hot water through the valve to a hose 52, energization of solenoid 51 permits passage of cold Water through the valve, and energization of both solenoids permits mixing of hot and cold water in the valve and passage of warm water into hose 52. Hose 52 has ian outlet 53 positioned to discharge into basket 2 `so that when one or both of the solenoids 50 and 51 are energized, water passes into the -basket 2 `ancl tub 8.

The level to which water rises in the basket and tub `may be controlled by any suitable liquid level sensing means. One typical arrangement for doing this is to provide an opening 54 in the side of tub 8 adjacent the bottom thereof, the opening 54 being connected through a conduit 55 and a tube 56 to a conventional pressure sensitive -device which may be positioned within .the backsplasher 57 of machine 1. ner, as the water rises in basket 2 and tub 8 it exerts increasing pressure -on a column of air trapped in the tube 56, and `at a predetermined pressure level the column of air trips the pressure sensitive device to shut off whichever of solenoids 50 and 51 may be energized. The pressure sensitive switch device is so constructed and calibrated that it will provide .a maximum liquid level within tub 8 Iand basket 2 which is near, preferably at or below, openings 6 in the side Wall 4 of basket 2. The backsplasher 57 may have any suitable manual controls, such as that shown at 58, extending therefrom so that the particular fabric cycle desired, including, for instance, washing and spin speeds, water temperature, water level within tub 8 and basket 2, etc., may be selected to effect the washing of different fabrics.

During the washing step, and the soap step if one is provided, the iexing of the fabrics caused by agitator 18 idislodges dirt and soil from the fabrics .and heavy dirt particles fall to the bottom of basket 2. During these opera-tions pump 32 is withdrawing liquid from tub 8 through cond-uit 36 and discharging it through conduit 37 and nozzle 38 into lter 39 from which it drains black into basket 2. Since the water level in basket 2 and tub 8 is near the openings 6, the ow of liquid between basket 2 and tub 8 is primarily through the openings 5 provided in the lower Wall 3 of basket 2. This flow of liquid out In the conventional manv of basket 2 through openings 5 discharges the large dirt particles from the basket into the tub 8 and part of them may be drawn through the pump 32 so as to be trapped in filter 39. Those which are not drawn through pump 32 settle to the lower portion of tub 8 and are removed by pump 31 during the centrifugal extraction operation. In this regard it will be noted that the openings 5 are of a sufficient total area to pass the flow caused by the operation of pump 32.

During the centrifugal extraction operation which follows the washing and soak operations liquid is drained from tub 8 by pump 31, which has a substantially higher rate of flow than pump 32. The spinning of basket 2 during the centrifugal extraction operation causes the liquid in the basket to fiow upwardly, along the side wall 4 and out openings 6. In this regard the total area of openings 6 is sufficient to pass the higher rate of ow caused by the spinning -of Ibasket 2 and the operation of pump 31 while the total area of `openings 5 is small enough to have very little effect on the centrifugal extraction operation and, although, some liquid passes out through openings 5 it is not sufficient to cause an appreciable amount of liquid to be drawn downwardly through fabrics, thus dirt and soil entrained in the wash liquid is not redeposited on the fabrics.

If the side wall of the basket 4 is formed so as to be divergent in the upward direction 'only holes 5 and holes 6 nee-d be provided in the basket. However, where the side wall of the basket is formed so as to be substantially vertical, such as that shown in the drawing, tilting of the basket during centrifugal extraction caused by an unbalanced clothes load in the basket may cause pockets of water to be trapped around the lower portion of basket 2. In order to drain any such pockets of water and give completely satisfactory extraction, a small number of openings 7 are equally spaced around the lower portion of -side wall 4. The openings 7 are sized and spaced so as to idrain any pockets of water accumulated during centrifugal extraction; however, their total area is so small as not to `interfere with the circulation of liquid through openings 5 during the agitation periods of operation and through the openings 6 during the centrifugal extraction periods of operation.

As one example of a suitable basket construction I have found that, with Ia basket having a diameter of approximately 21 inches and a height of approximately 13 inches, openings 5 may :be l2 in number of .250 inch `diameter giving a total area of 0.60 square inches; openings 6 may be three rows -of sixty-four openings each, each opening having a diameter of 0.250 inch, giving a total area of 9.4 square inches with the bottom row of openings 6 being 7.625 inches above the bottom of basket 2; and openings 7 may be eight openings of 0.150 inch diameter each, giving a total 'area of 0.14 square inches and located approximately 2 inches above the Ibottom of bask-et 2.

It will thus be understood that while, in accordance with the patent statutes, I have described what at present is considered to be the preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from my invention; it is therefore aimed in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the .true spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A fabric washing machine including:

(a) an imperforate tub to receive liquid,

(b) a basket rotatably mounted within said tub to receive fabrics to be washed in the liquid,

(c) liquid supply means adapted to fill `said basket and said tub with liquid to a predetermined normal level,

(d) fiexing means to cause relative motion between the liquid and the fabrics for washing the fabrics,

(e) drive means connected to said basket for rotating said basket to centrifugally extract liquid from the,

fabrics at the end of the washing operation, and

(f) pump means connected to said tub and effective to remove liquid from said tub and discharge it back into said basket at a first predetermined low rate of flow during the washing operation, said pump means being effective to remove liquid from said tub and discharge it to drain at a second predetermined high rate of flow during centrifugal extraction,

(g) said basket having a first plurality of openings in the lower portion thereof of a total area sufficient -only to pass said first predetermined rate of flow so that heavy soil removed from the fabrics is discharged from said basket during the washing operation,

(h) said basket having a second plurality of openings therein of a total area sufficient to pass said second predetermined rate of fiow, said second plurality of openings being positioned near the normal level of liquid in said tub and said basket fo'r removing liquid from said basket during centrifugal extraction.

2. A fabric washing machine including:

(a) an imperforate tub to receive liquid,

(b) a basket rotatably mounted within said tub to receive fabrics to be washed in the liquid, said basket including a generally horizontal lower wall and an upstanding peripheral side wall,

(c) liquid supply means adapted to fill said basket and said tub with liquid to a predetermined normal level,

(d) flexing means to cause relative motion between the liquid and the fabrics for washing the fabrics,

(e) drive means connected to said basket for rotating said basket to centrifugally extract liquid from the fabrics at the end of the washing operation, and

(f) pump means lconnected to said tub and effective to remove liquid from said tub and discharge it back into said basket at a first predetermined low rate of flow during the washing operation, said pump means being effective to remove liquid from said tub and discharge it to drain at a second predetermined high rate of flow during centrifugal extraction,

(g) said lower wall of said basket having a first plurality of openings therein of a total area sufficient only to pass said first predetermined rate of flow so that heavy soil removed from the fabrics is discharged from said basket during the Washing operation,

(h) said side wall of said basket having a second plurality of openings therein of a total area sufficient to pass said second predetermined rate of fiow, said second plurality of openings being positioned near the normal level of liquid in said tub and said basket for removing liquid from said basket during centrifugal extraction.

3. A fabric washing machine including:

(a) an imperforate tub to receive liquid,

(b) a basket rotatably mounted Within said tub to receive fabrics to be washed in the liquid, said basket including a generally horizontal lower wall and a generally vertical peripheral side wall,

(c) liquid supply means adapted to fill said basket and said tub with liquid to a predetermined normal level,

(d) fiexing means to cause relative motion between the liquid and the fabrics for washing the fabrics,

(e) drive means connected to said basket for rotating said basket to centrifugally extract liquid from the fabrics at the end of the washing operation, and

(f) pump means connected to said tub and effective to remove liquid from said tub and discharge it back into said basket at a first predetermined low rate of flow during the washing operation, said pump means being effective to remove liquid from said tub and discharge it to drain at a second predetermined high rate of fiow during centrifugal extraction,

(g) said lower wall of said basket having a rst plurality of openings therein of a total area suicient only to pass said first predetermined rate of flow so that heavy soil removed from the fabrics is discharged frorn said basket during the washing operation,

(h) said side wall of said basket having a second plurality of openings therein of la total area sucient to pass said second predetermined rate of flow, said second plurality of openings being positioned near the normal level of liquid in said tub and said basket for removing liquid from said basket during centrifugal extraction, said side Wall also having a small number of openings equally spaced about the lower portion thereof to insure that substantially vall the liquid is removed from said basket during centrifugal extraction.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS WILLIAM I. PRICE, Primary Examiner. 

1. A FABRIC WASHING MACHINE INCLUDING: (A) AN IMPERFORATE TUB TO RECEIVE LIQUID, (B) A BASKET ROTATABLY MOUNTED WITHIN SAID TUB TO RECEIVE FABRICS TO BE WASHED IN THE LIQUID, (C) LIQUID SUPPLY MEANS ADAPTED TO FILL SAID BASKET AND SAID TUB WITH LIQUID TO A PREDETERMINED NORMAL LEVEL, (D) FLEXING MEANS TO CAUSE RELATIVE MOTION BETWEEN THE LIQUID AND THE FABRICS FOR WASHING THE FABRICS, (E) DRIVE MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID BASKET FOR ROTATING SAID BASKET TO CENTRIFUGALLY EXTRACT LIQUID FROM THE FABRICS AT THE END OF THE WASHING OPERATION, AND (F) PUMP MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID TUB AND EFFECTIVE TO REMOVE LIQUID FROM SAID TUB AND DISCHARGE IT BACK INTO SAID BASKET AT A FIRST PREDETERMINED LOW RATE OF FLOW DURING THE WASHING OPERATION, SAID PUMP MEANS BEING EFFECTIVE TO REMOVE LIQUID FROM SAID TUB AND 